


A Single Word Damns

by AceVPD



Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Gen, M/M, Minor Violence
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-31
Updated: 2018-08-31
Packaged: 2019-07-04 23:29:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 8,987
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15851637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AceVPD/pseuds/AceVPD
Summary: When Roman Crete’s brother, Thomas agrees to be the vessel of a wayward angel and subsequently goes missing, it’s up to Roman and the humans and mythicals he befriends to find his brother, and banish the angel from it’s vessel.





	1. Chapter 1

“Yes”  
Roman never thought that a single word could change an entire life, until it did.

***

“Logan, please, he’s been missing for a week” he continued to plead with the other pacing across the motel room.

“I understand that you want to find him Roman, but if we keep following a trail across the country, that we aren’t even completely sure leads to Azazel and by extension Thomas, we might not ever do so” he paused sighing as he watched the other flop face down onto the still dusty bed. “I say we wait until we get some more information about the lead, and maybe work a case in the meantime.” he couldn’t help but smile at Roman’s exaggerated groan, “It is not healthy for us to be working so much on one thing Roman, if we are to continue at this rate we will have run ourselves into the ground by Sunday” huffing, Roman stood abruptly and started shoving his belongings into the duffle bag he’d only pulled them out of 3 hours earlier.

“So what’s this case you have lined up then, Lo?”

“There’s a town in rural Texas that claims a witch has been burning their crops and killing their animals, they also claim to know who the witch is, but are too afraid to confront him in fear of him worsening his tirade” he rambled off, looking at his notes every so often.

“Let’s go and banish ourselves a witch, Logan” he called triumphantly already moving to the door.

“Not until the morning, Roman. It is already 11pm, we require adequate rest and, we have already paid for the room tonight, so it is a further waste of our increasingly limited resources to not sleep in these … beds” Roman couldn’t help but laugh at the disgusted look on the others face as he struggled to finish his sentence in a seemingly nice way.

“Ugh, fine Belle, just make sure you stop reading for once and get some sleep yourself.” he held a hand up to silence Logan as he tried to defend himself, “You seriously don’t think, I can hear you up late at night muttering to yourself as you do research? Huh, maybe you aren’t as smart as we thought you were, Belle”

“If you insist on me being the beauty in this relationship, does that make you the beast?” he shot back, smirking at the offended gasp the remark elicited from the louder of the two.

“Just get some sleep, Nerd”


	2. Chapter 2

“Thomas we need to wait and see if he will lead us back to the nest” he tried hoping his brother would see things from his point of view.

“Roman he’s killed another two people since we’ve been on his trail I can’t let him kill anyone else”

“But Thomas,” he whined even louder “We could save even more people if we find the other vamps he’s hunting with” Thomas sat up, straighter than either of them would ever be, and Roman knew that he was in for it now.

“First of all, we don’t even know if he has a Coven, second of all, I am not letting him kill any more people, Roman,” he held up a hand and paused slightly effectively stopping his brother from saying whatever he was about to “Before you even say ‘We’ll just stop him before he gets to anyone else’ because I know that’s exactly what you’re thinking Ro, you can’t even guarantee that that won’t set off his coven either” he ranted off, sighing in relief when the other nodded in agreement and relaxed in his seat.

“Ok Thomothy, we’ll do it your way.” there was a few beats of silence before, “I think there’s a diner up here, can we get something to eat? I’m starving.” almost as if it was on cue, there was a loud rumbling coming from Thomas, “Huh, seems like you are too, lil’ bro” he teased, elbowing the other lightly.

“Shut up Roman” he shot back, pulling into the parking lot.

They walked into the diner sitting down at one of the only empty booths in the place. Roman couldn’t help but notice the dark-haired man sitting alone at a booth, surrounded by three thick, so old if you touched them they might fall apart, looking books and an extensive pile of still growing notes. He continued to glance toward the man wondering first and foremost how he managed to look so composed when the area around him was such a mess, he also noticed that the man was wearing a suit in what was essentially a glorified bar, in the middle of Kansas. He was still internally criticizing the man’s clothing when Thomas nudged him and drew his attention to what exactly it was, that the man was reading. There were multiple books on Ghouls, Vampires and other human-feeding beings, littered with fluorescent post-it notes; he also noticed a rather large notebook filled with Greek, Latin and English as well as Chinese and Korean, that looked to be a somehow more complex Rosetta Stone. Roman was trying to get a closer look when a low voice startled him out of his daze.

“Didn’t your mother ever inform you that it’s rude to stare?” Roman looked up to see the man glaring at him, stifling a laugh at the pure shock that flooded his face upon being called out.

“Uh, no… I mean yes, she did, but I couldn’t help but notice the books you’re reading” he managed to stutter out, face still bright red from embarrassment.

“Oh, I take it you are also interested in,” he paused for a moment surveying the other,   
“Mythology?” Logan took note of the way the other flinched slightly at the notion that the tales,   
He suspected he knew more about than he let on were merely those of fiction.

“Ah yes, the many mythologies of the world hold a wide array of magnificent stories about daring heroes and ferocious monsters, don’t they” taken aback by the drastic shift in the attitude of the other. “Do you mind if my brother and I sit with you?” Roman tacked on noting that the previously empty booth that he and Thomas were going to sit at was now occupied by a family of five.

“No. Not at all. I suppose I should introduce myself then, my name is Logan Apollus,” he held his hand out and Roman stared at it confused until Thomas slid into the booth next to him shaking it, and picking up in the conversation where Roman left off.

“Thomas. Crete and this is my brother Roman, as he was saying before, those are some interesting books you’ve got there Logan” he prompted, picking up a book and watching the way Logan’s eyes trailed his actions.

“I am conducting research for a project,” Logan replied slowly, eyes shifting between the brothers every so often as he took in his surroundings, finally looking up from his books for the first time since he had gotten to the diner.

“What kind of project?” asked Roman as he picked up the notebook and started reading from a section written in Latin, “There’s a lot here about creatures of the Dead, any particular reason?” he pushed the book toward Thomas, looking the slowly flustering Logan in the eyes.

“I happen to be majoring in anthropology,” Logan shot back, hackles raised “Not that it’s any of your business,” Roman slumped back in his seat relieved, signaling to the waitress, but his brother wasn’t fully buying the other’s story.

“Still, Ghouls, Werewolves and how to kill them aren’t exactly something every anthropology course covers,” Thomas slid towards the edge of the booth as Logan’s eyes darted towards the diners exit. “You’re here about the people who’ve gone missing aren’t you? Nine in five days?” He watched as the other tensed, ready to run if needed, while Logan was debating internally over whether or not they would follow him in broad daylight just to kill him. 

“Well I can tell you one thing; it’s not Ghouls or Werewolves. You can be sure of that” Thomas glared at his idiotic brother, silently begging him to shut his goddamn mouth.

“And just how are you so sure of that?” he couldn’t stop himself from staring slack jawed as the two that were sitting calmly only moments ago were now locked in a heated debate, a tap on his shoulder made him look up, the waitress was standing there staring at them expectantly. 

“Guys, can we maybe - ?” he tried, hoping to diffuse all of this before it escalated further.

“Stay out of this Thomas” Roman yelled, looking ready to tear both of the other males apart at any second. He couldn’t do anything but watch as his brother stood, apologised to the waitress who stood waiting to take their order as he argued, gathered his belongings and left the restaurant.

“Are you not going to go after him?” 

“I suppose I should, but I can’t exactly do that considering he was my ride” flipping books closed as he went, Logan started muttering to himself about how ‘this is why he does not get involved with people and their problems’ stacking his books and lifting them up he got halfway to the exit before realising Roman wasn’t following him.

“He would be going back to the motel, yes?” seeing the other nod, he continued toward the exit “I am sure that it is in both of our best interests to apologise to him” getting in and starting his car he stared at Roman who was still standing on the sidewalk unsure of what to do. Roman sighed and climbed into the passenger seat, gesturing vaguely for Logan to drive to the motel.


	3. Chapter 3

Thomas was doing what he did best when Roman’s ego got the better of them both, lying on the floor, listening to Broadway soundtracks and glaring at the ceiling. Had he not been listening to the music, he would have heard something akin to the flutter of wings before he felt the presence of the stranger standing near his feet.

“Hello, Thomas” startled, Thomas sat upright, there was a woman standing in the middle of his motel room, staring at him intensely. “I need you to do something for me” she knelt down offering her hand, to help him stand. 

“With what?” turning away from the stranger he stood up and started trying to figure out just how, she had gotten in. The door was still latched, the curtains still drawn.

“I flew in, if that is what you're wondering. I see no reason to withhold any information from you Thomas, you need to be aware of the decision I want you to make. We, unlike those bottom feeders downstairs need permission before we can occupy a vessel and I know that you are someone you leans towards following their heart, but wants to know the facts regardless. Am I correct?” the silence that followed answered the question.

She stalked forward, eyes locked on her prey, “The fact is, Thomas” backing him up against the wall she ran her hand up his side, coming to rest next to his head. She leant in further, breath ghosting his neck as she whispered “Your brother, among many others, will die.” hearing the sharp intake of breath she smiled and pulled back, sitting back on the unmade bed she could tell belonged to the younger of the pair. “On the other hand, if you were to agree to be my vessel, I could protect him” 

“How will you protect him exactly? And, how do I know you aren’t just saying this to get me to agree?”

“There’s an ongoing war in Heaven Thomas, don’t let yourself and your brother be just another casualty, when all you have to do to save the both of you, is say yes” her smile became wicked as she sensed Roman and the other grow closer. “Your brother is almost here. You have two minutes to come to a decision I approve of, before I kill the both of you and the stray you picked up earlier” she moved over to the closet, pulling down the dark grey suit she had seen her vessel wear when masquerading as a federal agent, because she would be damned before walking around in jeans and a graphic tee proclaiming an undying love of pizza. It truly was a pity that the other was so unbelievably headstrong; he had a much more refined fashion sense. “All you have to do is say one word, and you could save countless mortal lives, starting with t those of your brother and the other hunter. Surely you wouldn’t let any innocents come to harm. Would you, Thomas?”

“Yes.” he let out sighing, before backtracking, “No. what I meant was ‘yes’ I’ll be your vessel not ‘yes’ I’d let innocent people get hurt” a blinding light filled the room as she entered her vessel. The lack of fight for control placated her and she went to dress the vessel in the suit she pulled out earlier, then moving into the motel’s bathroom to style its hair with products he could only assume belonged to its brother given the state resembling a bird’s nest the hair was currently in. The slam of a car door followed by loud voices and a key turning in the lock became her cue to leave.

“Thomas? Are you in here?” Roman opened the door to see his brother putting his wallet and phone into the pockets of his suit pants. “Thomas? Are you going somewhere?” 

“Oh, we are” a blinding flash of light sent Roman to his knees and Logan barreling into the room.

“Roman is everything okay?” blinking away the sunspots he looked around the room to see his brother had completely vanished, he couldn't stop the sobs that escaped him, the fact that Logan was practically a stranger, be damned he pulled the other into an embrace that was sure to become very awkward, very quickly as he had both arms over Logan's and was already leaning against the other for support, crying into his shoulder.

Logan froze as Roman began to hug him, trying not to immediately push the grieving man off of him, considering how much he hated physical contact he really should move to a profession which doesn't require him being the bearer of bad news and being socially required to offer comfort. His discomfort was still slim in comparison to the others so he managed, especially because the other aspects of his job more than made up for those rare occurrences. He knew what that flash had meant though, Thomas was gone. Taken. Either by force or by choice, by angels. 

“He's gone.” Tears fell as Roman sat; constantly murmuring into Logan’s shoulder he tried to pull himself together. 

“I cannot be sure, but I would like to think that Thomas would like you to keep going, finish the case and then maybe try to find him. Rather than having you cry over him when he may still be alive.” Roman sat up, looking Logan on the eyes.

“How on Earth would you know that?”

“You and your brother are not the first hunters I have had the ‘pleasure’ of meeting, most seem to have this hero complex. Judging by the way you were willing to throw yourself at the Angel that took your brother, and that Thomas seems a person who would not make such a decision as being a vessel lightly, you two are no different” Roman smiled for a second, laughing at how easy to read he and his brother probably were.

“You're right though, he would prefer me to fight rather than sit here moping, but it would be more for my sake than his.”

“What do you mean?”

“Wait how did you know it was an Angel?” 

“That flash of light only means one thing” A sullen look crossed the others face and Roman had to stop himself from pushing for information as he usually would. 

He was sure it was something akin to the look that would pass over his or Thomas’ face when someone was to ask of their parents. Pushing the memory away he struggled to think of a way to change the subject, without making it clear how tense things had become. He couldn’t help but thank the gods that Logan started to ask about the evidence he and Thomas had collected while tracking the creature.

“Why don’t you just refer to it as a Vampire?” Roman huffed, sitting down on the same barely made, musty, hotel bed that his brother had spent the last 4 nights in, wishing that he was here to make it 5.

“Because with the way state I found the victims in I am not sure it is” Logan shot back, waiting for Roman to counteract his argument before continuing. “Every body I found had bite marks, large pieces of flesh missing and their heart missing, where all the ones that you and Thomas found, as you told me,” he watched as Roman leant back against the headboard and turned up the volume of a small radio, that sat on the bedside table, and nodded “Were merely drained of blood, some with bruising that indicated they struggled against their attacker”

Roman merely kept staring at the mess that his brothers suitcase had become, listening more to the music coming from the clock radio next to him than what he was actually saying, slowly dozing off. Logan followed his line of sight and decided to just let Roman rest for a while, or at least that what Roman assumed he did, because by the time he woke up it was beginning to get dark outside. He felt around in his pockets for his phone, so he could check the time and noticed a small piece of paper sitting on the bedside table, he picked it up and started to read ‘I should be back within the hour, I have gone to take a look at the last site. I left out some menus out on the dining table, let me know if you need anything’ just underneath that being a phone number and Logan’s signature. What a dork, he couldn’t help but think to himself, he signed his name and everything. He started to look through the pamphlets on the table when the sound of the door opening made him jump and drop the stack of papers he was holding, he was also not proud to admit that he let out a loud yelp that had the intruder, which thankfully, was Logan.

“Holy hell Logan, you scared me!” he whined crouching down to pick up the papers littering the ground at his feet.

“It appears so,” Logan smiled smugly, closing the door behind him and putting the books he’d picked up while out, on the table.

“Never do that again” 

“You scare easily for someone who hunts monsters for a living”

“Well we don’t exactly make a living from it, and I only just woke up, give me a break Logan,”

“I only stating the obvious, there is no need to get defensive”

“Whatever Nerd, what’s for dinner?”

***


	4. Chapter 4

Roman flung the door to their room back open, sighing when he saw that Logan was still buried underneath his blanket, fast asleep. He opened the curtains, letting sunlight fill the motel room, glancing again at the pile of blankets on the other bed struggling not to laugh at the top of a head he could see poking out from it. 

“Rise and shine, my good friend” he called out, waiting for a reaction and he got one.  
“Ugh, what time is it?” he mumbled, sticking his hands out from the top of the blanket, fumbling around blindly for his glasses.

“Almost noon, Sherlock” as another groan emerged from the blanket burrito the other had rolled himself into and Roman stifled a laugh and sat the coffees on the table, far away from flailing limbs.

He moved over to the bed and gathered the edge of the blanket in his hands. Pulling it up suddenly, he sent a still half asleep Logan tumbling to the floor.

“Was that really necessary?” he whined sitting up and wiping the sleep from his eyes, grabbing his glasses off of the bedside table.

“Well you shouldn’t stay up until 3am doing research” he picked up the black coffee, handing it to Logan and taking a sip from his own, way more complicated order.

“Well I apologize for wanting to know more about what we’re going to be facing” 

“It’s a Vampire, Logan, we only have to find it and cut its head off. It’s hardly rocket science” he waved his hand dismissively and pulled his phone out to check it.

“I still don’t fully believe it is a vampire, it also might not be a werewolf either, and what would we do then?” 

“If it is not a vampire then surely, it would have to be a werewolf Logan, even you have to admit that that is what all of the evidence indicates” Logan sighed running his hand through his hair, he couldn’t believe he had actually agreed to work with someone on a case. He was terrible at working with people and he knew that, he was such a perfectionist that he more often than not just did the whole project by himself because the people he would be paired with could never meet his expectations.

Roman clearly knew what he was doing and Logan was pretty sure he knew what the creature was and how to kill it efficiently, but that didn’t stop him from fearing that they were both way in over their heads with this and that they might just get seriously injured on this case. Nevertheless he just nodded and made plans with Roman to scope out the cabin that he and Thomas had thought that the ‘vampire’ was staying in, in the local woods.


	5. Chapter 5

He would never admit it but Roman was absolutely terrified being on a case without his brother, he’d always relied on Thomas’ presence to keep him calm during all of this, and knowing that his brother’s life as well as his own was on the line kept him a lot more focused than he would be at any other time. Logan’s presence just sort of annoyed him because he had to be constantly wary of what he said, lest he scare him off or weird him out enough that he left Roman on his own.

“This place is pretty creepy, huh?” he was just trying to lighten the mood, okay? Give him a break usually when he did this there was still at least light banter and not at least 20 minutes of dead silence, which only served to make him more uneasy than he already was at this point.

“I suppose it is? I have never really done this before; I typically just do research for cases before passing them off to other hunters to handle the more active work” 

“So you’ve never actually hunted before? Like actually tracked the monster down and killed it?” Logan pushed down a laugh at the stricken look on the other’s face and continued hoping to ease his worries. 

“I do know how though, and every simulation I have ever done went extremely well” Roman threw his hands in the air and let out a long breath, this was going just great first his brother gets kidnapped by some random angel and now he’s stuck on a case with someone who has never even hunted before.

He was still trying to figure out what on Earth he was going to do now when he saw movement in the supposedly empty cabin. He signaled for Logan to come closer and crouched down behind a bush.

“What is it?” Logan whispered crouching down beside him.

“I saw something moving in the cabin. I don’t think it’s as empty as we thought it was, stay here I’m going to take a closer look” he moved to the edge getting ready to run toward a cluster of trees a little closer to the building, but stopped when he felt a hand grab his arm. “What are you doing?”

“Trying to keep you from getting killed, whatever it is was moving closer to the window to look out of it. If you go now it’s going to see you and then we’ll both be dead” he pulled Roman back showing him another route that passed straight through to the back side of the cabin, completely out of eyesight. “There should be a door around the side or at the back that leads to the basement, we can go through there and make our way upstairs” Roman nodded and the two of them crept around between the trees moving slowly as to not make too much unnecessary noise.

Roman went ahead, making sure he still had his machete at his hip, and just in case also made sure that the silver dagger was still strapped to his calf. He spotted a door that looked like it lead to a cellar and once again signaled for Logan to follow him, checking to make sure he couldn’t been seen from any of the windows, he tried opening it before realised there was a latch at the top holding it closed. He unlatched it pulling the door open and motioning for Logan to ‘stay there he’d be back in a second’. By this point he’d think it would be redundant to say that Logan didn’t listen and just followed him in slowly closing the door behind them making sure to leave it slightly open just in case they needed to make it out quickly.

The room they found themselves in was so dark they could barely make out anything more than a metre away from them, the continued to move forward seeing a small sliver of light coming from somewhere above them.

Roman kept moving toward the light until his foot hit something and he almost fell flat on his face, as he caught himself though he realised that he had hit the bottom on a set of stairs, looking back at Logan, or at least trying to, he led him over and started to climb up them himself, when the door slowly opened to reveal a man standing at the top of the stairs, smiling hungrily down at the two of them.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” he cooed making his way down the steps, his smile getting wider as they slowly backed away.

Roman stood, unsheathing his machete and holding it up, putting himself into a defensive stance and moving in front of Logan, signaling for him to leave. Logan, once again surprising Roman stood firm and pulled out his own knife from behind his back, and stood next to him ready to run at the mysterious man when needed.

Within the next second Roman found himself pinned to a wall, with hands wrapped around his throat and his weapon lying on the ground next to him, Logan staring shocked at the spot where he stood just a moment ago. Deciding he wouldn’t be of much use to the other is he was dead he started trying to push the monster off of himself, also trying to distract it while Logan got his bearings. 

He watched as Logan moved over to them, and picked up Roman machete and sliced it’s head clean off.


	6. Chapter 6

Even after decapitation the monster continued to struggle, wrapping its hands even tighter around Roman’s throat.

“Logan, get the dagger” he managed to push out between slow, heavy breaths, the other already moving to grab the sharpened silver from around Roman’s leg. He stood and plunged it, to the engraved hilt through the back of the monster and through it heart, but it merely continued to crush the windpipe of his newly found partner, and Logan was unsure of what he could even try next.

A figure emerged from the surrounding shadows, pressing something round and with a dull shine into the still moving mouth of the severed head, finally rendering it motionless. 

Roman slowly removed the rigid hands from around his neck, wincing as the fresh air rushed against the 10 small cuts now adorning it.

“Who are you?” he tried staring at what he could actually see of the person who had saved his life.

“That doesn’t matter,” he paused, and Roman thought he was going to disappear back into the shadows never to be seen again but he only seemed to be taking a breath because the next words were said with such a ferocity, Roman once again feared for his life. “What does matter is that you two idiots almost got yourselves killed” Roman was not proud at the squeal that left his mouth at that moment nor would he ever fully admit to it actually occurring. He huffed, starting to think of a way to defend himself, and maybe Logan too before he was interrupted.

“Roman, please be quiet for once. Can you at least tell us how you knew what it was?”

“I did adequate research, something that you two seemed to have forgotten” still hidden in the shadows, this man was starting to get on Roman’s nerves more and more, how dare he accuse Logan and himself of being stupid, or not doing enough research? They had done plenty of all that boring stuff and he was about to tell him just how much.

“Excuse you, my brother and I have been tracking that … whatever it was for over 2 weeks! All of the victims found shared the same injuries, they were all completely drained of blood and most of them had some light bruising telling us that maybe some of them fought back while they could and whoever attacked them didn’t really like that. It had to have been a vampire, all the signs pointed to it.

“Yeah well how did that work out for you?” Roman was about to launch himself into the darkness ready to fight whoever was mocking him and his brother, but more importantly right now, him.

“All the evidence I found indicated that it would have been a werewolf, on the other hand. Every victim had their heart missing as well as some of them having random bits of flesh missing too. It very well based on that could have been a ghoul but, if that was the case decapitation would have killed it” 

“Did you two ever think that maybe all the victims could have come from the same creature?” The tone came across as bored and Logan could feel that the stranger was just as bothered by their inability to use basic context clues, as he himself was.

“Of course” he let out just as Roman huffed, and said ‘Well of course we didn’t’  
The other two continued to argue as Logan ran over the list of injuries suffered by both sets of victims once again, muttering to himself and earning a pair of concerned looks from the others.

“You okay there, Logan?”

“I cannot believe I never realised,” he was ashamed that he never even considered the possibility that he instead decided to take up Roman’s childish competition.

“Have you finally figured it out, Sherlock?” came the voice from somewhere on Roman’s left.

“Hey that’s my thing you can’t do that!” Roman called still struggling to locate the source of the voice.

“It was a Nachzehrer,” Logan whispered, realization dawning on his face

“A what?” Logan completely ignored Roman’s outburst and just continued to explain anyway, seemingly without taking a single breath.

“They’re creatures who, like ghouls and vampire are already dead, some feed on the flesh of the dead, and others feed on the hearts and blood of the living. There really isn’t much that can kill or even harm them. Silver mildly irritates them and after decapitation the head continues to live and can even be reattached. Because they’re already dead the only way to ‘kill’ them is to -,” he trailed off for a second looking into the darker side of the room where the person who had saved them and who also had seemingly been following them resided “That thing you placed into its mouth was a copper coin was it not?”

“Ah he’s finally got it,” the stranger remarked and it took Roman everything within himself not to throttle the man.

“Yes, and I likely would have figured it out sooner if it was not for Roman and his ridiculous competition” Logan glared at Roman daring him to challenge it, which of course, he did.

“You are just as at blame for this as I am Logan, shut up” he shot back glaring at the other.

“Are you two always like this?” the voice questioned, sounding way too amused for Roman’s liking. “At each other’s throats over the smallest things?” smiling sheepishly Roman rubbed his neck wincing as his hand brushed over a few of the cuts, “Sorry, too soon?” Whoever this was finally walked out of the shadowy side of the room pushing a box of bandages into Roman’s hand with a smug look plastered across his face.

It was a guy, which he had kind of already gathered from the voice alone, but in his line of work this case being a prime example, Roman tried not to assume anything. Every single item of clothing was a varying shade of black and he really tried not to immediately label the stranger as an everlasting emo, but with the almost black hair and purple dyed fringe, along with the My Chemical Romance band tee he certainly did look the part. He was glad Logan interrupted his inner monologue because it had starting going places he did not want to think about right now.

“To be fair on the both of us, we have only been working together for less than two days” Logan admitted, not jumping nearly as much as Roman did when the stranger let out a deafening.

“What!” he looked genuinely concerned and Roman was at a loss for what to do, “Are you seriously saying that you two went on a hunt together, after only knowing each other for under two days, and having limited combined research?” Logan was turned away studying something on the wall just so he didn’t have to answer that question.

“Yes. I suppose we are”

“Oh my gods are you kidding me,” he tried again praying the other two were just fucking with him and not actually for real. The silence that fell over the room for the first time since he’d walked in made him throw his head back in exasperation. They were telling the truth! He couldn’t believe it. “You two legitimately put yourself in a situation where you need to completely trust your partner, barely knowing more than each other’s name?” They both just nodded at him again, seemingly confused as to why he was so bothered by this. “Whatever, I guess I’ll be heading out now considering my job is kind of done”

He gave off a two-fingered salute and climbed back up the stairs and left, turning on the light as he did so, allowing the other two to fully examine their surroundings. They both squint, eyes adjusting to the drastic change in the amount of light filling the room. The air around them thick with sudden silence and Roman couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of their current situation. The thought that the two of them probably wouldn’t even be alive anymore without that stranger rescuing them and then criticizing them had him so close to losing it that Logan looked over at him seeming genuinely confused.

“Well” Logan started, pausing to pick up Roman’s discarded machete “I say we get out of here, try and get some rest and head out in the morning” realising he doesn’t hear a response, he turns around seeing Roman still walking around the room picking up random objects as he did so. “Roman?” Logan tried again hoping the other had actually heard what he said the first time, not wanting to repeat himself. Roman looked up at him, and smiled.

“Oh yeah, sure” he said brushing himself off and picking up his dagger, still embedded in the Nachzehrer’s torso, wiping the blood off on his already ruined shirt. 

“Okay. Do you want to drive back?”


	7. Chapter 7

A 5+ hour drive across the country is not a fun as most people make it out to be especially when the person you happen to be completing said trip with, is a huge Broadway fan and decides he wants to spend quite a large part of the drive signing along to the multiple soundtracks he had saved on his phone. Making you regret allowing him to sync that phone to your car's sound system.

“Roman, can we please take a break from the music? Or at the very least the singing, I am starting to get a headache” to Roman's credit he did get significantly quieter, but it was still getting on Logan’s nerves.

“Tell you what Specs, there should be a gas station a few miles up the road, when we get there I’ll drive for a while and you can put whatever you want, on and I'll be quiet” Logan just nodded and focused back on the road.

About an hour and a half later they had finally arrived or at least they were about to as Roman shook Logan awake, once again blaring the opening of Hamilton. 

“Roman, can you turn it down”

“No problem” he leant forward and turned it down so much you could barely make out the lyrics but could still hear the music.

“How much longer until we arrive?” Logan sat up adjusting his glasses that were now halfway off his face.

“About 10 minutes” Roman turned left, and dozens and dozens of rows of withered crops came into view, the sign announcing they’d entered the town seemed to be the line defining where the crops either lived or died.

He turned again and the Town Centre came into view, and both of them stared out taking in their surroundings.

“We are meeting the mayor, but at her house, she doesn’t want the whole town, being scared about this, it should be the third on the left” the other just nodded and continued driving, but as he turned to look at Roman to check, Logan couldn’t help but notice that the florist’s on the corner, will all of its flower displays looking in perfect condition despite the apparent curse on the town. 

They pulled up to the townhouse and immediately the door was pulled open and a young woman walked out, ushering them both inside quickly, they were directed into the living room and told to make themselves at home.  
“Would either of you like anything to drink?” she asked already moving toward the kitchen.

“What do you have to offer, Ms. - ?” Roman trailed off, finally realising how little he actually knew about this case.

“Ms. Rodriguez,” Logan filled in, shooting a glance at the still confused Roman, “Just water will be fine for both of us, thank you”

“Please, call me Marisol, you both are in my home if I had wished for you to address me as Ms. Rodriguez I would have met you both in my office” she walked back into the room handing both of them a glass each and left walking into a room that appeared to be used like a home office, by the set up Logan could see through the gap between the door and it’s frame. She emerged again holding a manila folder out to either of them before sitting down in the armchair opposite the couch they had sat on.

“You seem rather prepared, Marisol” Logan remarked as he leafed through the pictures of the Florist and the man who he assumed must own it or at least work there, as well as pages of information on witches and different ‘spells’.

“As I told you I am almost certain this is who it is, every other agricultural business in the area, has no salvageable crops at all, where his store is completely unaffected, they even seem to be flourishing, there is no way he doesn’t have anything to do with all of this nonsense” she argued, limbs flailing as she presented more and more evidence to the pair who was slowly becoming less and less sure that this was even a problem they would usually deal with.

“Maybe he just hasn’t pissed off whoever the witch is, unlike the rest of your town” Roman tried, shrugging when Logan shot him an exasperated look that pretty much said ‘Do you really have to do this now?’ at him.

“Patton may be one of the nicest, most generous people in this town, but there are quite a few people who I would think would be exempt from whatever this is, before him. Like poor Mrs. Jones who is an elderly woman whose only source of income is her farm, which is what she uses to pay for her son’s medical bills” leaning back into her chair she looked exhausted, as if the town suffering was something that kept her up, as if she didn’t want this to be the only option but it was the only one she could see.

“Well in that case we shall do everything we can to get to the bottom of this, I assure you” Roman called out triumphantly as if they had already solved it, and with what little he knew of Roman’s way of figuring things out he probably though they already had.

“We will definitely look into it, I promise. I’ll be sure to let you know of anything we find” she sighed and stood up shaking their hands as she walked over to open the door for them.

“Thank you. I really don’t think he’s done anything like this and be aware of it, but unfortunately this is the only thing that makes sense; just see if you can fix it? Or at least somehow convince him to, and tell him we’re sorry.” they both walked out the door closing it behind them, Roman tossed him the keys and informed him it was his turn now because he’d driven last.   
Logan just sighed and slid into the driver’s seat hoping that this case wouldn’t be as ‘exciting’ as the last.


	8. Chapter 8

He was just restocking a shelf on the back wall of the store where he heard the bell ring, telling him someone had just walked in. 

“Hi there, welcome to – “ he turned around to greet the customer, stopping short when he sensed it, *Hunter* he thought to himself, keeping up his smile as he walked over noticing the stranger seemed to be taking a special interest in Deceit in his terrarium. “Can I help you with something?” Trying to draw the others attention away from the snake that’s eyes were currently glowing dully, warning Patton of danger. 

“Oh sorry, I happen to be looking for Patton Moraleda. I have been told he works here?” Deceit’s warnings becoming increasingly louder in his mind, he couldn’t help but feel more wary of the hunter, acting as if he didn’t know he was already speaking to Patton. “I only wish to talk to him about a very specific order,” he continued seemingly sensing Patton’s unease at the question.

*He lies to you* De informed him and Patton inhaled sharply, still deciding, mostly against his better judgement to give the hunter the benefit of the doubt, and hear what he has to say.

“Well I am he. Patton, I mean what can I do for you?” smiling brightly once again, he moved behind the counter trying to put at least a small amount of distance between himself and the stranger, just in case.

“Well, my name is Logan,” he paused clearing his throat and glancing nervously at the snake looking him directly in the eyes as he spoke to its owner. “I was sent here by the mayor, Ms. Rodriguez. I have a few questions to ask you, about your services” Logan couldn’t help but notice the numerous good luck charms around the store. Harmless, and readily found in many places on the internet, not enough to classify the other man as a witch just yet.

“So are you after a bouquet, or maybe an arrangement for a special occasion? Something along those lines?” Patton watched as the hunter processed his words, a look of confusion passing over it quickly before he regained his composure.

“Yes. Something along those lines” Deceit chose that moment to strike at his tank, startling Logan, who yelped and jumped back; knocking a container of candy on to the floor as he flailed. *He avoids the truth* De informs Patton, and if looks could kill, Logan should be glad that the lid of the terrarium couldn’t be opened from the inside, by any means.

Logan kneels down to start picking up the mess he made, while Patton quickly shoots a glare at his familiar and moves around to help him. He finds Logan staring at the protective runes he’d carved along portions of the floor boards when he first opened the store. Logan looks back at him eyes widened slightly before he stood up apologised for disturbing Patton for no reason and leaving the store, darting into the diner across the street.

Deceit just hisses about how *the hunter will be back, Patton* and slithers into his burrow, leaving Patton alone to think of ways to handle this situation. 

***  
Roman looked up as Logan burst into the diner, looking around wildly until they locked eyes and he made his way over to sit opposite Roman.

“So, how did it go?” he looked the other over for any clues as to why he looked so flustered.

“I do believe that Patton is a witch, but not that he is the one that we are after” Roman stared back at him eyebrows raised, waiting for him to continue, but Logan still needed time to process what on Earth had just happened less than 10 minutes ago.

“You good there, Specs?” roman had never seen the other this quiet, unless he was reading of course, and when he was doing that he generally preferred Roman to be so as well.

“Well, all the evidence points to him being a witch, or at least knowing some very basic spells but he seemed to know that I was not exactly telling him everything, and his snake Roman, there was something about it.” Roman let out a small laugh and Logan’s head snapped up, looking at him confused.

“What are we going to do then?” 

“Just talk to him? His plants definitely are thriving and he has charms and protection runes all around the store, but I do not believe there is any malicious intent behind magic he may or may not possess.”

“Well then it can’t hurt to just talk to him about it then? He might even know who is behind the magic, if he isn’t the one doing it himself.” Logan nodded and just slumped forward on the table, head in hands as he tried to figure out how to go about this.


	9. Chpater 9

Roman pushed open the door to the Florist, wincing when the bell rang signaling his entrance and Patton’s head shot up, his eyes widening in fear. Logan pushed through in front of him slowing approaching the other man.

“Patton, please calm down. We aren’t here to hurt you. I admit I was avoiding saying exactly what I meant when I said I wanted to talk to you, but that was only about the subject matter.” Patton continued to back away glancing toward Deceit’s terrarium trying to see if his familiar was okay.

“What do you really want to talk about then?” Patton tried desperately to keep his voice steady, but it wavered, his nerves becoming clear to the hunters. He could sense the sympathy radiating from the stranger, and the guilt from Logan. He stood up straight still trying to think of the best way to leave quickly if he needed to.

“We just want to talk about the recent crop failures throughout the town, Patton” the stranger told him stepping closer and letting the door close. “Logan and I were hired by the Mayor to investigate the circumstances behind it, because we are hunters. She told us how your store seemed to be completely unaffected by whatever else befell the other towns people, and we thought that we should come and ask you if you knew why that was, instead of making you a suspect in something that may just be an unfortunate event.” Patton slouched a little bit, knowing exactly what he was talking about.

He had been detecting strange uses of magic all through the town for the last few weeks not thinking about it much, instead trying to figure out a way to regrow even a small portion of the town’s slowly dying crops. The protection runes he’d carved around the store and painted onto most of the post being the only saving grace he had.

“It is caused by magic,” Patton forced out, waiting for the others to ask him how he knew this, he told them of how he’d been sensing the residual energy of spells around town for almost 3 weeks but wasn’t sure what exactly was happening, being too focused on keeping his store, and home safe as well as trying to help the other towns people protect their own. He talked of seeing someone fairly new to the town start to isolate themself and in a small town like theirs it was a very hard thing to do. He mentioned how he sometimes saw them around the same places he sensed the residual magic, and had found discarded hex bags and animal bones.

“May I ask who it is, Patton?” Patton looked up at Logan, whose curiosity now overpowered the guilt he previously felt about scaring him, and then over at Roman who seemed to be apprehensive about Logan’s question, wondering whether or not they should even be there still asking questions or already out there looking for the true culprit, already having ruled Patton out.

“His name is Lucas. His last name Carthwright I think, I’m not a hundred percent sure with that. He moved in about 2 months ago, he was always a little reluctant to help out with anything but I guess we all just assumed that that was because he was still new and a little shy. Although now he may be the only person in town at the moment I believe could be capable of doing something like this. He’s the only one I think could even do any form of magic”

“Patton I understand if you don’t want to tell us, and you don’t have to, but can I ask what kind of magic you practice?” Patton looked back toward Deceit to see if they had anything against it but he remained silent, merely observing whatever it was that was unfolding before him. 

“I um, I am an Empath, and I also do use a little bit of rune magic for protections and all that and I do a little bit of basic nature magic every now and again. Although I am trying to learn more because I find it really interesting, and useful too I guess as you can kind of tell” he looked over at the two hunters only to find them nodding along, as if Patton hadn’t just wholeheartedly admitted to being something that they semi regularly tracked down and killed, or if they were feeling, nice simply banished. 

“Okay, then thank you for your help with this Patton. I guess we will leave you to what you were doing before we interrupted you.” Logan walked over and hand him a small piece of paper with a series of numbers on it before walking towards the door and holding it open for both Roman and himself. “Call us if you see Lucas or even if you need anything at all from us, think of it as a thanks for helping us with the case” Patton waved them off, letting out a breath and sitting down, watching them drive off and slumping over the front counter, with his head in his hands. *Well that went well* Deceit hissed and Patton couldn’t help but let out a laugh, before sitting up and putting the number into his phone.

*It is a shame the humans do not realise how difficult it is to track a witch who does not wish to be found without the help of another witch. Is it not, Patton.* the ball python hissed at him, Patton couldn’t believe that he had completely forgotten. He picked up the phone once again already dialing the number he had only just been given. Logan picked up straight away.

“Patton? Is everything okay? Do you need our help?” worry evident in his tone and Patton laughed a little, putting on his jacket before moving tow  
ard his office slipping his keys and wallet into his pockets.

“Actually I think it might be you guys who need my help” he finished off by wrapping both a snake and scarf around his neck before flipping the open sign to closed, and locking up the store. “See you at the diner in about 5 minutes?” he asked already crossing the road hoping they hadn’t gone too far in such a short time.

“No problem”

**Author's Note:**

> After a series of unfortunate teachnical difficulties one of which meant being without the ability to access anything for about 3 weeks, it is here (well will be defintely, fully within the next 4 days because of school/work). Hope you enjoy. Thanks for reading.


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